In the late 1800s, as homesteading and private acquisition of public lands spread, conservationists began working to preserve public lands such as Yellowstone and Yosemite. In 1891, the General Land Office of the Department of the Interior withdrew Capulin Volcano from settlement, entry, or disposition under the public land laws because it was considered such a perfect specimen of an extinct North American volcano. In 1916, President Wilson proclaimed the mountain a national monument to preserve a striking example of recent extinct volcanoes. On September 5, 1962, Congress amended the proclamation to preserve the scenic and scientific integrity of Capulin Mountain National Monument.